After the battle- post war
by snowhite67
Summary: Merely hours after the war is over, Harry and Ginny can talk- finally.Harry is hurting- and Ginny is right there to pick up the pieces.


Harry was sitting outside at the courtyard by the willow tree. Although it was midday, the castle was quiet- all the students and order members were sleeping after the sleepless night of the battle, recovering strength and healing. Harry did not even try to sleep. He knew, although his eyes were burning and stinging and although his body felt broken, that sleep wouldn't come that day. He was fingering his newly mended wand, not thinking of anything at all- his mind was blank. He was afraid that if he thought even the smallest thought, the pain would come rushing back and he would scream and scream until he felt no more.

The end felt like a lot of things- loss and pain mostly.

It did not feel like victory.

Harry took a breath of the fresh air- it was painful, because it was a breath he did not believe he deserved to take.

"Harry."

He knew who it was. He knew that she was standing behind him, could feel her eyes on the back of his head. But he could not bring himself to face her.

"Harry." said Ginny again, and walked up in front of him.

Closing his eyes, Harry stood up. He could not look at her. It was too blinding, too painful.

He felt those soft hands he knew so well take hold of his face.

"Harry. Look at me." Said Ginny quietly.

He opened his eyes. There she was- up close, he could see the tears still clinging to her eyelashes, the scars, bruises and fresh cuts all over her face. Her red hair falling out of its bun into her face, her brown eyes searching his green ones. Searching.

She was different. Just as beautiful- more so- than he remembered, but her eyes were different. Older. They'd seen more than a seventeen year old girl should ever see.

And then he broke down. And she was right there, arms around him, face buried in his shoulder. Trying but not knowing how, to take away the pain, to share the burden, the weight that was nearly crushing him.

"I know," was all she said. "I know."

It felt good to not have to be strong for the first time in years. To not have to be the hero- he was finally able to let go completely, because he knew that he didn't have to be strong for her. At least not right then.

Harry allowed himself to sob and cry like a little boy- it felt good to let some of the pain out. He cried for the people who he'd let give up their lives for him, for the years of fear and hurt, for when he thought he was alone, for her, and for everything she'd lost. For all the children who would grow up without parents, for all the evil that was brought into the world. And all the while she held him, and for the first time that year, Harry finally felt like he'd come home.

And when he had no more tears left, Harry sank to the ground and leaned, exhausted, against the tree. Ginny sat down with him, and he took her hand.

"You don't have to say anything," she said to him softly. "It's okay now."

He shook his head. "I don't even know what _to_ say."

She studied him. "We don't have to talk about any of it now. We have tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that."

"We have tomorrow," Harry repeated. It was unbelievable to say. Just hours ago he did not believe he would see the rising sun.

"We have all the time in the world." She said, leaning her head against him.

Harry breathed in and he found that breathing was less painful now.

"We can talk about happy things." He said finally. "We can talk about us."

She looked up at him, smiling. "I'm glad to see you still think there are happy things to be talked of."

"I'm not sure about anything but you right now."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "So we can start right where we left off?"

Harry smiled, for the first time in what felt like months. "If we can do that, I don't think anything would make me happier."

"We can't pretend none of it happened though." Ginny looked up at him. "You broke up with me remember? And then I didn't see you for a whole year and then I thought he- he killed you-" she looked away.

"We can't change the past Ginny. What's happened has happened, and maybe we're different because of it, and maybe we'll learn to live with it." As he said it, Harry almost allowed himself to believe it.

"Harry." Ginny moved away from him so she could look at him properly. "Would you have broken up with me if Voldemort hadn't come back?"

Harry looked at her incredulously. "Ginny, that was probably the worst and hardest thing I've ever done. I thought I was doing it to keep you safe. I can't tell you what it's been like, not being able to see you every day, not knowing whether some git had already claimed you, not being able to talk to you, to kiss you-"

"You still love me?" She whispered, leaning closer.

"Ginny." He said her name softly, like a prayer. "I never stopped."

And then he kissed her- and that whole year came rushing back, and Harry fully appreciated how much he'd missed her, and what loving her had done to him, how it had been his only light in a sea of darkness for what seemed like a lifetime.

"Promise me you'll never break up with me again." She said to him when they broke apart.

"If you promise to stay with me forever. If you end up marrying someone else I'd go crazy."

Ginny laughed. "As if there'll ever be anyone else but you." She kissed him again.

Harry looked at her, eyes laughing. "Does this mean you just got engaged at age seventeen?"

She grinned. "Mum's gonna kill you."

Harry pulled her to him and kissed her again, simply because he could.

"Speaking of mum, I'd better go up to sleep, she'll be killing me too." Ginny made to stand up.

"Do me a favour will you?" Harry said, standing up as well. "Next time I'm kissing you, will you not mention your mum?"

Ginny laughed. It was a beautiful sound that rang across the burnt and sorrowful courtyard. It was a sound that somehow made Harry fully realise that they were now free.


End file.
